Refrigerator sealing strip



June 4, 1935. R, TAYLOR 2,003,726

REFRIGERATOR SEALING STRIP Filed Nov. 14, 1950 w @iij. O

I VENT R.

. n ATTORNEY Patented June 4, 1935 um'rso STATES PATENT oFF 'cE1 nnrmonna'ron SEALING s'rmr Robert S. Taylor, Evansville, Ind., assignor to Electrolux Servel Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application November 14, 1930, Serial No. 495,553

4 Claims. (Cl. ZIP-35) This invention relates to refrigerators and more particularly to those in which the refrigerating compartment has an aperture in one wall thereof through which the evaporator of a refrigerating apparatus unit is inserted when the unit is assembled with the refrigerator.

In a refrigerator of this construction, the evaporator is mounted on a section' of heat insulated wall which, in turn, is mounted as part of lo the refrigerating apparatus unit. When the unit is assembled with the refrigerator cabinet, the evaporator is inserted through the aperture in the refrigerating chamber wall and the section of heat insulated wall upon which the evaporator is mounted acts as a closure member for the aperture. Formerly, the seal between the closure member and the refrigerating compartment wall was made with a cement, such as Dum-Dum or Tilette. Both of these cements have an odor go which is a very undesirable feature in a refrigerator and, moreover, when it is desired to remove the refrigerating apparatus unit it is necessary to break this seal and make a new onewith fresh cement when the unit is replaced.

$25 It is an object of this invention to provide a seal between a refrigerator wall having an aperture therein and a closure member for said apere ture which seal will not require replacement when the closure member is withdrawn and replaced.

so A further object is to provide a seal that is of asthetic appearance and presents only planesurfaces which are easily cleaned.

Further objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description taken in 85 connection with the accompanying drawing wherein Fig. 1 is a fragmentary vertical section of a refrigerator wall having an aperture therein and a seal, constructed in accordance with this inven- 40 tion, between the refrigerator wall and a closure member in said aperture,

Fig. 2, a fragmentary front elevation of the refrigerator wall and seal shown in Fig. l, and

Fig. 3, a detailed cross-section of the seal se- 45 cured in position.

A refrigerating chamber wall III has an aperture ii therein and is constructed with a frame I2 around the edge of said aperture. The side of the wall toward the refrigerating compartment is 50 covered with a sheet metal liner 13. A closure member for the aperture it comprises a plate it on which is mounted a section of heat insulating wall I5 conforming generally to the outline of the aperture. The section of wall l5 has a 55 liner or shield plate It on the side toward the refrigerating chamber. An evaporator i1 is mounted on the closure member by some means such as bracket l8 and bolts l9 so as to be positioned within the refrigerating chamber when the refrigerating apparatus unit of which the 5 evaporator is an integral part is secured in position. Around the closure member, between the edge thereof and the edge of the refrigerating chamber wall around the aperture therein, is a joint or clearance space 20. W

Where formerly a cement was used to seal this joint, this invention contemplates a seal which consists of three parts. A member 2| of some easily cleaned and rust resisting material, such as chromium plated zinc or Monel metal, which, for 15 the purposes of this description, is called the liner opening sleeve trim, is permanently mounted around the inner edge of the aperture in the refrigerating chamber wall by a band 22 of resilient material fastened at one edge to the sleeve trim 2| and tacked or otherwise fastened at its other edge 23 to the refrigerator wall frame I2 around theaperture. A gasket 28 of sponge rubber or other suitable material is secured between the liner of the refrigerator wall and the sleeve trim and another gasket 25 of similar material is secured around the under side of the sleeve trim 2i as by crimping, between the edge of the sleeve trim 2i and the fastening band 22.

When the refrigerating apparatus unit is se- 30 cured in the refrigerator cabinet, the closure member will be positioned within the aperture ll of the refrigerating chamber wall and the edges of shield plate it of the closure member will bear against the gasket 25. The seal is so positioned in relation to the edge of the aperture that when the closure member is positioned therein both gaskets 2i and 25 will be slightly compressed, efiectively sealing the joint. Gasket 25,

is compressed directly by the pressure of the closure member when the latter is in position and the gasket. is compressed indirectly by the pressure of the closure member acting through the sleeve trim 2| and the resilient metal band 22.

If desirable, gasket 26 may be omitted leaving a clearance spme between the liner l3 and the sleeve trim 2|. An additional gasket 25 maybe provided between the plate l4 and the refrigerator wall III to prevent circulation of air in the space 20 and the consequent likelihood of moisture accumulation therein.

It will be obvious to those skilled m the art that various other changes may be made in the construction and arrangement without departing from the spirit of the invention and therefore the invention is not limited to what is shown in the drawing and described in the specification but only as indicated in the following claims.

I claim: 1. In a refrigerator cabinet including a w having an aperture therein and a removable closure member within said aperture, a seal for the space between the walland said closure member and comprising a strip resiliently mounted around the edge of said aperture and overlapping both the wall around said aperture and said closure member, a compressible gasket between said strip and the portion of the wall around said aperture overlapped by said strip, and a second compressible gasket between said strip and the edge of said closure member overlapped by said strip, said second gasket being secured to saidstrip.

' 2. A refrigerator cabinet having an aperture in 3. In a refrigerator, a thermally insulated cabinethavinganapertureinawallthereoftopermit insertion and removal of a cooling element of a refrigeration apparatus, a removable closure member in said aperture and through which extend connections to said cooling element, and aseal member resiliently mounted around the edge of said aperture within said cabinet by means of a portion extending into a clearance space between said closure member and wall and secured to said wall, said seal member overlapping both said closure member and the wall adjacent said aperture, and gaskets between said seal member and the wall and between said seal member. and said closure member.

4. In a" refrigerator, a thermally insulated cabinet having an aperture in a wall thereot to permit insertion and withdrawal of a cooling element of a refrigeration apparatus, a removable closure member in said aperture and through which extend connections to said cooling element, and a seal for the clearance space between said closure member and wall comprising a member overlapping both said closure member and the wall adiacent said aperture within said cabinet 25 and secured to said wall by means of a resilient portion projecting into said clearance space.

ROBERT S. TAYLOR. 

